November 9, 2022, WKYC Good Company
CLEVELAND, Oh. (WKYC)- With Thanksgiving and large family gatherings approaching for many, sibling dynamics often take center stage. To help with that on this Ask Alli segment, we have Frazier Behavioral Health CEO and autism mom Alli Frazier here to share tips and advice she’s learned from raising her neurodiverse son and neurotypical daughter.
Alli’s first tip is to ensure a daily dose of positive interactions. Turn off all of the distractions and spend quality time, which can make a positive impact on their development.
She said, “Research shows that when parents spend quality one-on-one time with their children, then they have a reduction of challenging behaviors. Families are busy so it doesn’t have to be an extensive period of time but even 10 minutes can make a big difference.”
Alli also offers another tip: All children are unique and develop at their own trajectory.
She said, “As parents, we get focused on shaping our child’s personality. It’s important to remember that’s not our job. Our job is to build a resilient child and one with good values and not to compare them to either sibling.”
For her third tip to keep the peace during the holidays, she says sibling bond by finding a shared interest.
Offering an example, she said, “In my family, they both like to hike and eat sweet treats.”
When a child is diagnosed with a neurodiverse disorder, including autism, it can affect everyone in the family, including siblings. Frazier Behavioral Health offers sibling therapy and has a clinical psychologist and clinical assistants who can provide group and individual therapy.
To request a consult or connect with the experts at FBH, give them a call at 216-446-2944.
You’ll find them at 5885 Landerbrook Drive, Suite 310, Mayfield Heights, Ohio
To watch the full segment on WKYC’s website please click here.